Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



E. WHITNEY. Breech-Loading Fire-Arms;

N0.151,458, Patented May26,1874.

ELI WHITNEY, OF NEVW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

lWiPRGr/EMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FlRfi-ARWES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. H5EA58. dated May 26,1874; application filed March 18, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELI WHITNEY, of New Haven, in the county of NewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented a newImprovemeat inBreech-Loadiu g Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare the following,whentaken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters ofreference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification,and represent, in

Figure 1, a side view; Fig. 2, a top view; Fig. 3, a sectional sideview; Fig. 4, a longitudinal section at the breech, the breech-pieceremoved; Fig. 5, a transverse section on line 00 00, showing thebreech-piece open.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of breeclrloadingfire-arms in which the breech-block is hung at one side of the frame,and swings transversely to open or close the breech; and the inventionconsists, first, in constructing the transverse swinging breechblockwith a rear projection, whereby a long bearing is formed for thefiring-pin without lengthening the frame; second, in combining, withsuch breech-block, checks on the frame to support the breech-piece andto form a guide or channel leading to the barrel.

A is the frame, to which the barrel ]3 is attached in the usual manner.Transversely across the frame, at the rear of the barrel, a slot, C, isformed, as seen in Fig. 4, into which the breech-block D sits, the saidblock hinged to the frame at one side, as at E, and so as to be turnedtransversely away from the frame,

as seen in Fig. 5, to open the. breech for the insertion or removal ofthe cartridge or shell. A central rear projection or enlargement, F, isformed on the breech-block, through which and the block proper thefiring-pin a is placed, so that when the block is closed the hammer Grwill,'in falling, strike the pin to communicate the blow of the hammerto the cartridge; and, in order that the breech-block may be held firmlyin its place at the time of firing, as also to prevent discharge if thebreech be not properly closed, I form a tongue or projection, d, on therear of the block, and a corresponding recess or shoulder on the hammer,as seen in Fig. 3, so that when the hammer falls upon theproperly-closed breech-block the said shoulder on the hammer will lookover the projection (I on the breech-block before the nose of the hammerreaches the firing-pin; consequently, ifthe block be not properlyclosed, the nose of the hammer will strike the said projection d andprer ent the hammer striking the firing-pin. The breech-block isprovided with a thumbpiece, D for convenience in opening thebreech. Inrear of the barrel, and distant from the breech proper, a check, H, isformed on each side of the frame, and between these checks and thebreech the breeclrblock sits, the cheeks forming an abutment for thesupport of the breech-block to resist the recoil consequent upon theexplosion of the cartridge. Between these checks H H the frame is shapedto correspond to the lower portion of the bore or cartridge-chamber, asseen in Figs. 2 and 5. This recess I serves as a guide for the insertionof the cartridge, so that when the cartridge is laid into the recess I asimple longitudinal movement will carry it directly into thecartridge-chamber. In the cheek opposite the one to which thebreeclrblock is hinged a frictional device to hold the breech-block isplaced. This consists of a piston, f, set in a cavity in the check, asseen in Fig. 4:, with a spring, the tendency of which is to press thesaid piston outward toward the breech-block, the end of the pistonprotruding slightly into the recess C, so as to bear against thebreech-block when it is closed to create sufficient friction thereon tohold it (the breech-block) in its closed position, but yet allow it tobe easily opened, if necessary. A slight depression may be formed in thebreech-block corresponding to the piston, and into which the piston willsit when the breech-block is closed; but this recess must be so slightas to allow the breech-block to be readily forced from the control ofthe piston. In order to avoid the necessity of forcing the cartridgequite home before the breech-block is closed, the first approaching edgeD of the breech-block is chamfered 011 the bore or front side, as seenin Fig. 6, so that in closing the breech-block the forward surface actsas a cam to force the cartridge home. As the gas, after explosion, tendsto work its way out around the breech-block, and especially so when theshell bursts at the time of explosion, an exit is provided by making agroove, h, on the under edge of the breeelrpiece, extending out to oneside and communicating with the cartridgechamber, as seen in Fig. 3.Thisprevents the possibility of the gas penetrating to the mechanism ofthe lock. Beneath the breeclrblock a lever is hnn g to the frame on apivot, m, one arm, L, of which extends to about the center line, andwith an upward projection, 12, which cX- tends up forward of the rim ofthe cartridge, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. The other arm, 1, of the leverextends outside the frame, and so as to lie in the path of thebreech-block when being opened. The projecting nose It of the lever hasits rear inclined, as seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, so that as the breechis opened, and so soon as the cartridge-chamber is uncovered, thebreech-block will strike upon the incline of the nose It and forceforward that arm of the lever and the other arm back, as in Fig. 4, theprojection a forcing the shell or cartridge, as the case may be, outfrom the chamber, a quick opening of the breech-block imparting sosudden a movement to the lever as to eject the shell free from the arm.

It will be understood that the hammer must be drawn back to at leasthalf-cock before the breech-block is opened or closed.

I claim as my invention- 1. The breech-block D, hnn g to the frame Aupon a pivot parallel to the bore of the barrel, so as to swing in apath transverse to the barrel, constructed with the rear projection F,and combined with the firing-pin a, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with the breech-block I), hung to the frame A upon apivot parallel to the bore of the barrel, so as to swing in apathtransverse to the barrel, constructed with the rear projection F, thecheeks H II on the frame, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

ELI \VHlTNEY.

\Vitnesses J. II. SHUMWAY, A. J. Tnmrrs.

